Archie became a 'single dad' after the mama cat escaped during transport
Orange tabby Archie and two of his kittens, Josie and Jughead, are looking for a forever home in Texas after a pretty rough start in their lives.
Along with six of his offspring and their mother, Archie was dropped off at Cuddle Buddies Rescue in Katy, Texas in July.
The cats were found in an Amazon box, which had been duct-taped closed, said Emily Gammon, the cats' foster mother.
Unfortunately, the family did not stay together — the mother cat escaped during transport and the rescue was unable to recapture her.
The shelter planned on splitting up the babies from their father, but Archie made it clear he was not OK with that plan.
"We had intended to send the entire littler to a new foster, but when we separated Archie from his babies he cried with the most mournful cry I have ever heard," said Gammon.
Archie (left) unexpectedly found himself a single dad after the mother of his kittens escaped during transport. He and two of his kittens, Josie and Jughead, are up for adoption near Houston, Texas. (Emily Gammon/Cuddle Buddies Rescue)
While four of the kittens have been adopted, Archie, Jughead and Josie remain.
Gammon hopes that someone will be willing to take in all three cats — or at the very least, take in Archie and one of his kittens.
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"He has been the absolute best daddy cat," said Gammon, noting that he even let the kittens "nurse" on his belly.
Cuddle Buddies Rescue is a foster-based rescue that is entirely volunteer-run and donation-based.
Archie, seen here with Josie and Jughead, gave a "most mournful cry" when he was initially separated from his kittens, his foster mother said. (Emily Gammon/Cuddle Buddies Rescue)
The adoption fee is $125, said Gammon.
About 80% of orange cats are males, like Archie and Jughead.
Orange females like Josie are considerably rarer.
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This is because the color of a cat's fur is determined by its genes — specifically, its X chromosome, cat educator and internet personality Hannah Shaw said in a YouTube video.
Shaw, who known on YouTube as "The Kitten Lady," explained the gene for fur color is either for black or orange fur.
Josie (left) and Jughead are the last two kittens left in their litter. The rescue hopes they'll be adopted together with their father. (Emily Gammon/Cuddle Buddies Rescue)
As male cats receive only one X chromosome from their parents, they will be orange if their X chromosome has the gene for orange fur or black if their X chromosome has the gene for black fur.
Josie, being a female orange kitten, would have received orange X chromosomes from both parents.
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Conversely, nearly all calico cats, who have a mixture of orange, black and white fur, are female, as they received one X chromosome with orange fur genes and one with black fur genes.
Male calico cats are rare, and they all have a genetic abnormality with two X chromosomes in addition to a Y chromosome, said Shaw.
Anyone interested in adopting Archie, Josie and/or Jughead can reach out to Gammon on her fostering Facebook page, "Auntie Em's Foster Kittens."
Want to read about other pets up for adoption? Check out this recent article from Fox News Digital: Dog abandoned at the front door of animal care center is up for adoption: Meet Laa-Laa
And click here for other Fox News Digital Adoptable Pets stories.
Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
